UAlbany Basketball Alums Preparing for “Legendary” Season

After many years in purple and gold on the University at Albany men’s basketball team, Scotty McRae, Lucious Jordan, and Will Harris have taken on a new color scheme. They will be suiting up in blue and gold as members of the defending International Basketball League champions, the Albany Legends.

McRae (UAlbany ’10), who averaged 5.9 points per game in his two years at UAlbany in less than 20 minutes per game, and Jordan (UAlbany ’06) were members of last year’s IBL champion squad, in which the team scored over 125 points per game.

The high scoring is due, in large part, to rules that promote offense such as a 22-second shot clock and the need to inbound the ball immediately upon receiving it. Needless to say, the players don’t mind the fast paced nature of the league.

“It’s a different type of basketball. There’s more spacing, and it’s less restrictive,” McRae said. “I think I enjoy it more [than college basketball]. I’m more of a one on one kind of player, and that’s what the pro game is geared around.”

As for Harris (UAlbany ’10), who missed Wednesday’s media day due to a work obligation, he will be enjoying his first taste of professional basketball this season after an inconsistent stint as a Great Dane. In two years at Albany, Harris scored 12.8 points per game but, due to injury, never lived up to his full potential. However, those around the Legends say that Harris is going to be fine making the jump from college to the pros.

“Will’s been doing great,” Legends Coach Ben Smith said. “He’s getting his back to the basket which is something he doesn’t like to do, he’s fantastic in any type of zone application. His personality is just the best. He gets the entire group motivated.”

In addition to the current Great Dane triumvirate, the Legends nearly acquired another former Albany basketball star in senior guard Tim Ambrose. Both sides were very close to a deal, but Ambrose declined a roster spot at the last minute, despite rumors that he was cut from the team.

“We were arms wide open with Tim,” Smith said. “He told me ‘Coach, I don’t know if this is right for me right now.’ If I were to make an assumption, he might be a little burnt out. If he ever wants to come back, the door is open.”

The Legends also managed to grab former Troy, NY and Binghamton University guard Emanuel “Tiki” Mayben, who is looking to get his basketball career back on track after his transgressions off the court in college.

As for McRae, Jackson and Harris, not only are they looking to have success on the court this year, but they are looking to parlay success in the IBL into a ticket to other professional basketball opportunities.

“This league is about stats and tape,” Smith said. “[The IBL] Is about getting something you can use to show someone ‘look, I’ve played the pro game.’ This is so important for guys like Will, because you’re going to learn things like spacing in the pro game, so when he gets tryouts [in other leagues] they see he can be a system guy.”

Despite having their eyes set on other pro basketball endeavors in the future, don’t think that the Great Dane triumvirate will lose sight on their goal for this season: repeating as IBL champions.